1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a sailboat with a canting ballast system, mountable or integrated on the sailboat such as a racing and performance yacht, for increasing performance of the sailboat without compromising safety.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sailing yacht design has evolved over time to increase sailing yacht performance by changing various factors that influence sailing performance—especially increased righting moment and lower hydrodynamic drag. Righting moment is an essential part of the performance of racing and cruising sailing yachts as it directly affects the amount of sail that can be carried and in turn the driving power available.
Through this evolution, sailing yachts have developed from bilge ballast to long keeled to fin keeled to bulb keel to canting ballast designs. The various evolutions have continually increased the righting moment while decreasing the drag.
A few known canting ballast systems and foils provide better control of the yacht. However, these few known canting keels that include a ballast and a strut may only be canted up to 50 degrees to both port and starboard sides. The canting of the ballast often results in a big increase of the available righting moment, and as such, the keels are subjected to a large bending moment which may cause metal fatigue and/or structural failure of the struts. When a strut is fatigued, the effectiveness of the canting keel may be reduced and/or ineffective.
Further, at least one known canting strut of a ballast system extends through an opening in the bottom of the hull which may cause leaks in the bottom of the boat. Various leak proofing solutions have been developed to prevent leaks. However, the leak proofing solutions are difficult to utilize, many times do not prevent leaks, and may completely fail.
Additionally, a few known canting ballast systems may encounter various hydraulic, mechanical, and/or electrical complications that may disable the canting mechanism. A disabled canting mechanism may lead to free swinging keels which may lead to partial structural failure of the hull. About ⅓ of racing and performance yachts built with canting keels have experienced canting ballast system failures which results in significant financial loss. Further, a disabled canting ballast system severely limits the performance and/or seaworthiness of the yacht and often results in the yacht withdrawing from races and/or terminating passages.
What is needed is a durable, efficient, reliable, and productive canting ballast system for a sailing yacht that increases righting moment to increase performance of the sailing yacht.